Cutting-die.



P. F. W. G. KRIPPENDORP.

CUTTING DIE.

APPLICATION rum) 1123.4, 1902.

1,1 17,061 Patented Nov. 10, 1914.

| fl l qr j I I :5 JQVL j M WW THE NORRIS PETERS CO-. PHOTO-LITHQ,WASHINGIUN, D O,

omrnn sraras PATENT OFFICE. q PAUL F. W. C. KBIPPENDORF, OF IiFNN,MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR. T0 ONITED MACHINERY COMPANY, OF PATEESON, NEWJERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

oUTTrNc-mn' Application filed April 4, 1908-. Serial No. 425,108. j

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, PAUL F. W. G. Kerr- PENDORF, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Lynn, in the county of Essex and State ofMassachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Cutting-Dies, ofwhich thefollowingdescription, in connection wlth the accompanying drawing, is aspecification, like letters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to a die for cutting out irregular shapes, and isparticularly concerned with a die for cutting out irregular shapes ofleather to form the parts of shoes.

In the manufacture of shoes it has been the general practice to cut theshoe-parts from leather by hand, the operative placing a pattern of thedesired shape on top of the leather and running a sharp knife around theedge of the pattern. It is now the practice to a large extent to usecutting dies by means of which the shoe parts are cut or died out, butit will be obvious that this involves large expense because it requiresa separate die for every size, shape and style of shoe part. With thepassing away of a particular style of shoe the dies for that stylebecome worthless. l/Vhen any die becomes nicked or injured the entirecutting edge has to be ground down. As a result, therefore, the expenseof producing and maintaining sufficient dies for the cutting of the shoeparts, tends to deter manufacturers from entirely abandoning the oldermethod of hand cutting.

This invention-presents a die, thebase'of body portion of which isinexpensive and can readily be made up into any desired shape, combinedwith a removable, sharp steel, cutting edge, which in its preferred formmay be removed in sections. The invention also presents a reversibledie, by means of which right and left-hand shapes may be cut from thesame die. The invention, therefore, enables the cutting of shoe partsand similar irregular shapes to be performed by means of a die at acomparatively small labor cost, and at the same time presents a diewhich may be manufactured cheaply and easily, and in whichthe expensivesharp steel cutting edge may be removed and transferred to another diewhen a change of shape is desired, and in the cutting out whichwheninjury is caused to any portion of the cutting edge that portionmaybe removed and repaired or replaced, without affecting the remainderof the cutting edge of the die. The nature of the invention will morefully appear from the accompanying specification and drawings and willbe particularly pointed out in the claims.-

The drawings show a single die of the reversible type, of the shaperequisite for of the tip part of a shoe; Figure l is a i plan view of adie embodying the invention of ashape to cutshoe tips. lug. 2 1s across-sect1on of the con struction shown in Fig. l on the line 2-- 2. Fig; 3 isaside elevation of a portion of the. construction shown in Fig.1 looking from the outside. Figs. tively left and right-hand quarter ofa shoe. Figs. 6 and 7 are plan views. of special forms of cuttingblades. 7

A die embodying this invention comprises l and 5am respecin the firstplace. a base or'body portion which may be made of any suitablecrosssectional shape, but in its preferred form presents a rib portion Aanda flange portion B,= preferably tapering to an edge.

When the die is to be made reversible two of. these flange portions Bare provided, projecting from opposite sides of therib A, asshown in thedrawings. This baseof the die may be readily made from steel by beingrolled cold in the desired cross-section, and of any length in themanner well known in forming various shapes of cold rolled stee itispreferred that the inner face B of the flange shall be vertical or atright angles to the rib A.

The material for the die base :is cut off the required length and thenbent into the desired shape, or in other words, is bent so that the edgeof the flange, shalltake the shape of the article to be cut. The ends ofIn the tapering form offlangeillustrated if the base are then welded orsuitably secured together. It will be noted that in this manner diebases of any desired shape can be readily and easily made.

The cutting edge of the die is formed as a thin, flexible, steelsharpedged cutting element, and in the preferred form this cuttingelement is made in sections, and is so illustrated in the drawings.These steel sections C are preferably sharpened at both edges, and areprovided with holes C spaced at fixed distances from each other and fromthe edge of the sections. Each section should have at least two holes init, and as a rule it will be desirable to provide sections ofdifferentlengths, having two, three and four holes respectively, but theholes in all having the same spaced relation. These steel sections beingflexible will conform readily to the shape of the die, but it will befound desirable to have a few special shapes for corners, such as shownin Figs. 6 and 7, and usually two or three shapes of each angular andcurved kind illustrated will be sufficient, because corners of otherangle and curvature can be fitted by bending the one of thoseillustrated which conforms nearest to the corner to be fitted.

.A. series of clamping plates D, of less width that the steel sectionsC, are provided and have holes therein of the same spaced relation asthe holes in the sections C. These clamping plates may be made ofmultiple unit lengths as in the case of the steel sections.

The cutting edge of the die is formed by bolting on the steel sectionsto the edge of the flange B with the cutting edge of the sectionprojecting therebelow. In order to insure a continuous cutting edge atall points it is preferred to place the steel sections G on both sidesof the flange B with their cutting edges coinciding, as shown incross-section in Fig. 2-. In the inner vertical surface B the sectionsabut, and at sharp angular or around corners the special blades such asshown in Figs. 6 and 7 are used. If the sections in lengths furnished,for example with two, three and four holes, when abutted are not of thesame length as the periphery, then one or more of thesetions may be outoff to fit.

The sections on the outer or inclined periphery of the die base arearranged with their joints staggered with respect to the joints on theinner periphery. The joints on the outer periphery will open a. littleat the bottom, but owing to these joints coming opposite the solidsection on the inner periphery there will at all places be a continuouscutting edge.

Small bolts E placed through the holes in the clamping plates serve toclamp the sections firmly to the flanges of the die base. These clampingplates are put in place so that the joints between the same shall bestaggered with relation to the joints between the steel sections againstwhich they rest.

It will thus be seen that a continuous cutting edge is presented at theedge of the flange of the die base. Any portion of this cutting edge maybe readily removed by loosening two of the clamping plates on each sideof the flange and a new section put in place. Hence, if any portion ofthe cutting edge is nicked or worn it can be readily renewed at smallexpense and without the necessity of grinding down the entire cuttingedge.

\Vhen the style of shoe changes and it is necessary to use differentshape dies, the die base may be cheaply and readily constructed ashereinbefore described, and the cutting edge comprising the steelsections, clamping plates and bolts removed from the discarded die baseand placed upon the new die base. While it may be necessary to throwaway or discard some few of the sections the great majority of them willbe suitable for continued use on the new die base. Furthermore, when thereversible steel sections shown are used the cutting edge may be renewedby reversing some or all of the sections as found expedient. The steelsections may be kept on hand in quantities in the few varying lengthsand angles required, and there is, therefore, on hand at all times themeans for fitting out a die base of any required shape.

Dies of this character are usually employed in what is commonly known asa clicking press, which comprises a bed upon which the leather to be cutis laid, and a platen which comes down upon the die and presses it intothe leather. In Fig. 2 I have illustrated at Gr a portion of the surfaceof the bed of such a machine, and at I a portion of the surface of theplaten of such a machine. It is desirable in using the die in one ofthese clicking presses to keep the cutting edge off from the leatheruntil the cut is to be made, so that the operative in moving the diearound to position it on the leather to cut the leather mosteconomically will not injure the leather with the cutting edge. Tosecure this result the die base of this invention is preferably providedwith a plurality of yielding guards, herein shown as rods K, providedwith feet K mounted to slide freely in holes in the die base rib A, andprevented from falling out of the holes by flanges K Coiled springs Kencircle the rods K between the feet K and the rib A, and the rods K areof such a length that these springs normally hold the feet K of theguards projecting beyond the cutting edge. When the die is set upon theleather resting upon the bed of the clicking press, it may be movedaround over the leather supported by these guards, without the cuttingedge making any contact with the leather. When the leather is properlypositioned and the die is then forced down upon the leather to cut outthe required shape the guards will yield, allowing the cutting edge ofthe die to cut through the leather, and then when the die is elevatedthe guards will spring out and act to discharge the leather from thedie. In the reversible form of die illustrated these guards are providedfor each cutting edge, and each guard carries a locking device, shown asa bifurcated bar 0, straddling the rod K and pivoted thereto at near thefoot K so that when the bar 0 and the rod K are parallel the end of thebar 0 will be level with or project slightly beyond the foot K The freeend of the bar 0 is weighted, as at 0 at one side of the pivotal point.These bars 0 are of such a length that when the free end rests upon therib A the foot K of the guard will be projected beyond the cutting edgeof the die. which ever position the die may be placed the upper bars 0will swing down with their free ends upon the rib A, and hold the guardsto which they are pivoted projecting beyond the cutting edge, so thatwhen the platen of the clicking presscomes down its force will betransmitted through the upper ends of the rods 0 directly to the rod A,

' and at the same time the lower guards impelled by the weights 0 willswing down away from the rod K, leaving the lower guard free to yield asthe die comes down.

Having described my invention, What I claim asnew and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is:

1. A cutting die comprising a base conforming in outline to the shape tobe cut, a

- thin, flexible, sectional, steel, sharp-edged cutting elementpresenting an endless contour, and means for removably attaching saidcutting element tosaid base in conformation with the outline thereof.

2. A cutting die comprising a base conforming in outline to the shape tobe cut, a thin, flexible, sectional, steel, sharp-edged cutting elementpresenting an endless contour, and means for independently and removablyattaching the sections of said cutting element to said base inconformation to the outline thereof. I

3. A duplex cutting die comprising a base, conforming in outline at eachof its edges to the desired shape and thus adapted to outline at oneedge a right and at the opposite edge a correspondingly left shape, twothin, flexible, sectional steel, sharp-edged cutting elements, means forremovably attaching one of said cutting elements to each edge of saidbase in conformation with the outline thereof.

4:. A duplex cutting die comprising a base, conforming in outline ateach of its edges to the desired shape and thus adapted to outline atone edge a right and at the opposite edge a correspondingly left shape,two thin, flexible, sectional steel, sharp-edged cutting elements, meansfor removably attaching one of said cutting elements to each edge ofsaid base in conformation with the It will thus be seen that inoutlinethereof, guards mounted to yield vertically with respect to saidbase and pro jecting normally beyond each of said cutting edges.

5. A duplex cutting die comprising a base, conforming in outline at eachof its edges to the desired shape and thus adapted to outline at oneedge a right and at the opposite edge a correspondingly left shape, twothin, flexible, sectional steel, sharp-edged cutting elements, means forremovably attaching one of said cutting elements to each edge of saidbase in conformation with the outline thereof, guards mounted to yieldvertically with respect to said base and projecting normally beyond eachof said cutting edges, and means for lockingeither of said guardsagainst vertical movement with respect to said base.

6. A duplex cutting die comprising a base, conforming in outline at eachof its edges to the desired shape and thus adapted to *outline at oneedge a right hand and at the opposite edge a correspondinglyleft shape,two thin, flexible, sectional steel, sharp edged cutting elements, meansfor removably attaching one of said cutting elements to each edge ofsaid base in conformation with the outline thereof, guards mounted toyield vertically with respect to said base and projecting normallybeyond each of said cutting edges, and locking devices for lockingeither of said guards against vertical movement with respect to saidbase, the up per guard when either cutting edge is in position to outbeing automatically held by its locking device in projected position,and the lower guard being automatically unlocked to yield upon thedepression of the base and allow the lower cutting edge to perform itscutting function.

7. A cutting die comprising a base conforming at its lower'edge inoutline to the shape to be cut, and presenting adjacent said edge aninner vertical and an outer inclined periphery, a series of thin,flexible, steel blades each presenting a cutting edge and located onboth the said peripheries, and means for removably attaching said bladesto said base in staggered relation with their cutting edges coincidingand projecting below said base and conforming to the outline thereof. 1

8. A cutting die comprising a base conforming at its lower edge inoutline to the shape to be cut, and presenting adjacent said edge aninner vertical and an outer inclined periphery, a series of thin,flexible, steel blades each presenting a cutting edge and located onboth the said peripheries, means for removably attaching said blades tosaid base in staggered relation with their cutting edges coinciding andprojecting below said base and conforming to the outline thereof, and aseries of angular, flexible steel blades each presenting a cutting edgeand adapted to conform to the inner angles of said base. i

9. A cutting die comprising a base conforming in outline at each of itsedges to the desired shape and thus adapted to outline a right and atthe opposite edge correspondingly left shape, said base presentingadjacent each edge an inner vertical and an outer inclined periphery, aseries of thin, flexible, steel blades arranged end to end along bothperipheries of said base in staggered relation with their cutting edgescoinciding and projecting below, a series of flexible clamping platesextending over the in eting edges of said plates, and means forremovably clamping said plates and blades to said base to conform to theoutline thereof.

10. A duplex cutting die comprising a base, conforming in outline ateach of its edges to the desired shape and thus adapted to outline atone edge a right and at the opposite edge a correspondingly left shape,two thin, flexible, sharp-edged cutting ele ments, means for removablyattaching one of said cutting elements to each edge of said base inconformation with the outline thereof.

11. A duplex cutting die comprising a base, conforming in outline ateach of its edges to the desired shape and thus adapted to outline atone edge a right and at the opposite edge a correspondingly left shape,two thin, flexible, sharp-edged cutting ele 1nents,'means for removablyattaching one of said cutting elements to each edge of said base inconformation with the outline thereof, guards mounted to yieldvertically with respect to said base and projecting normally beyond eachof said cutting edges.

12. A duplex cutting die comprising a base, conforming in outline ateach of its edgesto the desired shape and thus adapted to outline at oneedge a right and at the opposite edge a correspondingly left shape, twothin, flexible, sharpedged cutting elements, means for removablyattaching one of said cutting elements to each edge of said base inconformation with the outline thereof, uards mounted to yield verticallywith respect to said base and projecting normally beyond each of saidcutting edges, and means for locking either of said guards againstvertical movement with respect to said base.

1-3. A duplex cutting die comprising a base, conforming in outline ateach of its edges to the desired shape and thus adapted to outline atone edge a right and at the opposite edge a correspondingly left shape,two thin, flexible, sharp-edged cutting elements, means for removablyattaching one of said cutting elements to each edge of said base inconformation with the outline thereof, guards mounted to yieldvertically with respect to said base and projecting normally beyond eachof said cutting edges,-and locking devices for locking either of saidguards against vertical movement with respect to said base, the upperguard when either cutting edge is in position to out being held by itslocking device in projected position, and the lower guard being unlockedto yield upon the depression of the base and allow the lower cuttingedge to perform its cutting function.

l l. A die for cutting sheet material, com prising a frame with taperingblade carrying port-ions, and thin cutting blades secured to both sidesof said portions and converging to a common cutting edge.

15. A die for cutting sheet material having a cutting edge formed byblades converging to a common edge, and a frame for holding said bladesin convergent relation.

16. A die having its opposite edges disposed in parallel planes andcomprising a frame having a continuous outer face and cutting bladessecured thereto, said frame having a relatively thick longitudinallyextending rib and tapering portions extending from said rib intoproximity to, and supporting, the cutting edges of the blades.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

PAUL F. W. C. KRIPPENDORF.

lVitnesses:

MABEL PARTELOW, THOMAS J. DRUMMOND.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Gommissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). 0.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,117,061, grantedNovember 10, 1911, upon the application of Paul F. W. (J. Krippendorf,of Lynn, Massachusetts,

for an improvement in Cutting-Dies, errors appear in the printedspecification requiring correction as follows: Page 2, line 38, for theWord around read wound; page 3, line 88, strike out the word hand; andthat the said Letters Patent should be read with these correctionstherein that the same may conform to the record of the case in thePatent Office.

Signed and sealed this 2nd day of February, A. D., 1915.

[SEAL] R. F. WHITEHEAD,

Acting Commissioner of Patents.

